Hunter Joslin
Since the early Seventies, Hunter Joslin has been a key creative thinker in the surf industry. His career began in 1973 as a sander and polisher at Lower Eastside Surfboards, also known as Resin Craft, in Jupiter, Florida. Then, in the summer of 1975, when he was twenty-four, Joslin traveled the East Coast, selling skateboard decks and skimboards for Resin Craft.
It was at Resin Craft where Joslin began brainstorming a balance-training device that surfers could use when they couldn’t be in the waves. He placed a skimboard on a wood cylinder and gave it a whirl. The experience was so fun, and so beneficial, that he saw instantly the possibilities for his invention. For the next couple decades, Joslin learned the ins-and-outs of the boardsports industry, working as a manager of Skateboard Safari in West Palm Beach, then in California with Tom Sims, where he worked to sponsor a group of talented Florida skaters. Along the way, thanks to some cajoling from good friend Mark Neustadter, Joslin picked up surf contest announcing. Today, he is recognized for being one of the most prominent pro surfing announcers — he’s commentated well over 150 pro surfing events across the United States.
But Joslin never let up on his idea for his “balance board” invention. Finally, in 1998, he founded the Indo Board Balance Trainer Company. Since then, Joslin has focused full-time on marketing the Indo Board globally. He’s a tireless salesman and eternal grommet, who has worked with many top athletes, from surfing world champions to Olympians, golfers and Jui-Jitsu competitors, and more. For Joslin, the spread of surfing’s popularity has been a long, exciting ride — and one that he has played a prominent role in driving. “Surfing’s cultural footprint is everywhere,” Joslin says. “I have never been more proud to say I’m a surfer!”
Photos by Tom Dugan / ESM, Dick “Mez” Meseroll / ESM , Darrell Jones and courtesy of Hunter Joslin / Indo Board